Whither the Ricketts $$$?

Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker dropped out of the Presidential race yesterday, after a bottle rocket type rise — especially in Iowa — and then a similar disintegration.

There are as many opinions on why his campaign fizzled as there are pundits.

My first thought was how similar this is to the Pawlenty campaign back in 2011. A Midwestern Governor, purple state, fresh face, likable. Pawlenty was ahead early in Iowa in 2011, then had a poor showing at the Straw Poll and was out by August.

But the irony was that many said if he had just stuck around, he could have won Iowa — and then who knows what may have happened.

I just wonder if the same will eventually be said about Walker. Sure he has some poor debate showings, and his media grasp on some of the issues were questioned. But most still say he is a decent guy who did a great job in Wisconsin. Others say he is over his head in Presidential politics, and that could be so. But strangely enough, that hasn’t affected a few of the candidates.

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So the next question is whither his supporters?

“All of that < 1%…” you say? Well, I’d venture that his support in Iowa was much stronger, and would have eventually been stronger, than some of the polls show. And there is a major sugar-daddy who owns the Chicago Cubs who had been one of his biggest backers.

Where does HE and his bottomless pockets go now?

Many who were Walker supporters liked that he was a successful Governor. Rick Perry is gone too. Do they go to Christie? Jindal?

Or do they go to someone like Senator Marco Rubio, who gobbled up 5 of Walker’s Iowa County Chairs overnight?

(On that note, I was in touch yesterday with Walker’s Iowa strategic organizer, Eric Woolson. He said he hasn’t given a thought yet to moving to another candidate, and was looking forward to clearing some downed trees along the fence line.)

And interestingly, Walker ended his campaign with a call-out to other also-ran candidates to get out now, so the campaign can coalesce around the non-Trump competition.

And THAT will be an interesting game.

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While Governor Ricketts thinks about who to support now that Scott Walker is gone, the guess here is that he won’t have to worry too much about the 2nd lawsuit on the Death Penalty petition.

The latest only contests how the ballot language would read for the Death Penalty repeal-repeal. Either way, it won’t make a difference. (Split all the hairs you want here, commenters.)

From our roundup of legal experts on the lawsuit over whether Pete Ricketts is a “Sponsor” in the signature petition drive, the consensus is, more or less, on how that term is defined.

It would seem unlikely that it would or could be based on monetary support — even though the previous NESC case on the matter seemed to imply that it could. And the point of the Governor’s “duty” regarding a law is unlikely to go anywhere.

Much of it could be based on discovery, and what the Governor’s involvement was with his aides, etc.

And at least one of our legal-Smeagols thought that the whole thing will get tossed on a motion to dismiss.

13 comments

According to Politico, the Ricketts’ were informed of Scotty Walking only a few hours before it went public.
The Ricketts were set to host a Manhattan fundraiser later this week and had been busy organizing a big league hoe-down for Walker “bundlers” to be held at Wrigley Field on Oct. 2.

I did not miss Rick Perry and I won’t miss Scott Walker. And last night Donald Trump noted that he doesn’t talk about the president’s birthplace anymore. With Rand Paul in 8th place, there’s still hope for the Republican primary…

Walker was a poor candidate clearly unprepared for the national spotlight. Christy, Jindal, Paul, Graham and Pataki will be out by Halloween. Neither Carson nor Cruz have a shot at the nomination but they aren’t really seeking it anyway — They will continue grifting until the end of the year. The nomination will go to Bush or to Kasich if Bush somehow implodes. Rubio has no real substance and is not presidential. He has plenty of time.

Setting aside the media-approved Year of the Outsider framing, I believe that we are witnessing another effect of Citizens United. Specifically, in radically expanding fundraising options, the CU decision has effectively gutted the organizing influence of the Republican and Democratic parties. Whether one likes it or not, the parties have historically played an indispensable role in sheparding electable candidates to the nomination.

Citizens United has destroyed that. The result is painfully evident in the Republican primary. It is less visible on the Dem side this cycle because neither the smart money nor the stupid money was ever going to bet against Clinton.

Although, you’re analysis assumes, if not reason, at least sanity in the GOP electorate.
There is empirical evidence that that may no longer be the case.

In a September 1, PPP survey of 572 Republican Primary Voters (PPP was proven to be the most accurate pollster in 2012) :
– 54 percent of Republican voters believe Barack Obama is Muslim.
– Only 29 percent of GOP voters think Barack Obama was born in the United States.
(of Trump voters; 66% believe he’s a muslim and only 21% believe he’s native born)

I’m sorry, THAT is not a picture of ‘reason’ and it’s debatable it’s a picture of sanity.

In addition, this same poll found Bush’s favorability only 39%, Kasich’s 29%.

FWIW, I was a registered Republican, and an NRA member, most of my life.
It was the radicalization of both these entities, along with the wholesale incompetence of GW, that forced me out of the party.
It’s a radicalization that continues at a fervent pace today (as witnessed in these poll numbers). A radicalization on steroids courtesy of the grifting-as-business-model of the Right Wing Entertainment Complex.

Amy and the ACLU and the good liberals have a good case when they argue Mr Ricketts is a “sponsor” and the language should reflect that.
If Ricketts and his lackeys are not a “sponsor” than I am not a retired mailman.
And all this for what? Because Ricketts had his feelings hurt?
The State Senators made a reasoned case to end something that was not being used anyway. Not many Nebraskans cared about the issue, and Ernie was right to take it off the books.
But now Mr Ricketts and his daddy spent a fortune and distracted people from more important things. See what happens when you elect an unproven Republican to the highest office in the state?

83% of Americans claim to be christian. That means that this group is compromised of Dems. Repubs. and Indies. The atheist consider Christians pretty much insane and Neanderthals. So, if 83% of Americans are insane, why do you try so hard to just convict the Republicans? Surely the Dems have shown their radicalization also. PC being the worse of either side. An ideology that has the greatest amount of hate and bigotry attached to it than all the rest.

I also was a Republican. Then an independent. Now I realize the futility of supporting either side. 25 years I spent in the Federal government. Both sides screw you but in different ways. Both sides care about one thing and it is the same thing, power. All policies, planks, utterances and platitudes by ether party are meant to accomplish two goals, gain power, keep power.

As to the rest. The system is certainly rigged for the parties only to advance candidates. Electable is one thing. Capable is another. As we see, there hasn’t been a capable one on either side in a long time. Yet the partisans argue about which side is worse. That is one of the stupidest if not one of the most entertaining things that go on in the world.

Partisans are the court jesters of the world and they do an admirable job of making one smile and laugh. That is the only useful purpose they serve.

Our electoral system is perfectly made for the results we get. How pathetic is that!

Ever thought of trying intellectual honesty? I know it is anathema to you and the truth won’t set you free and it will really hurt your genteel sensitivities. But we are number 6 in the country for fiscal health and one of only two states who have the resources to cover their debts, only a true hater and bigot would spew the stuff you do in the face of the facts of how good this state has it. If you are a retired mailman who spent a life time living of the government working for an agency that spends most of it’s time in deficit spending then what would know about government and what is good or bad? As bad as you think the Governor is, you and the rest of the impotent Dems can’t find anyone to defeat him. So that would make you lower than a Republican. I would give you some cheese to go with your wine but it is illegal for a minor to drink alcohol and I would hate to encourage you to continue in your illegal endeavor.

Scott Walker reminds me of Jean Stothert; both not very bright who wanted to ride their anti-union sentiments to high office. Walker flopped as a Presidential Candidate, and actually Wisconsin is not doing well under Walker. And Stothert is floundering as Mayor of Omaha. Stothert’s big bad contract negotiator was terrible, and the police contract has to go the CIR, but that troubles that lawyer not; he made a half million dollars for his firm by dragging out the contract negotiations.
ricky
PS I thought Ricketts was a Catholic? The Pope was coming to Ne before he heard Mr Ricketts was a blood thirsty spoiled brat.

Ricky:
Didn’t they make a movie about you? The Postman is the Dumbest Twit Twice?

Hear let me refresh your feeble memory. The CIR use to have rules stacked in favor of the unions. that was their aim in negotiations. To end up at the CIR. The rules were changed to make the playing field level and the unions don’t want to go to go there any more. So the city is employing the tactics that the unions honed and the CIR will now be the unions nemesis. Humm, never heard you complain when the unions went to the CIR.

I know all of this is far above your intelligence level. But as a partisan hack, you certainly bring out more votes for the Repubs than anyone else in the state. Keep up the good. Your a fine example for the reason the Dems are irrelevant in this state.

PS: Omaha is doing great and is on many of the top ten lists for cities in the nation. It is growing with announcements everyday of new developments. As I said before, the closest thing to insure some endeavor will be a success is for you to not like it. It is sad though that you wish for your home city to fail just to satisfy your lust to be some one other than an irrelevant clown. Just a word advice, it isn’t working for you. But hey, how is murdering babies and selling their parts working for you? Death row is seven guys. Abortion is genocide of the black race. Priorities Ricky, priorities.

Well if your theory is correct, NE Voter, then that is the one good thing about the Citizens United decision! Would you rather be taxed to pay for elections?

You too easily dismiss the ‘outsider’ theory. Many Democrats and many more Republicans no longer trust their respective party leadership; witness Paul and Cruz, and Bernie Sanders with their fervent followers. No, I think these campaign surprises we are witnessing are the effect of party leadership failure, rather than a mere gutting of party organizing influence. And besides, in the case of Trump-loving Republicans, Sparkles has a point: a lot of them seem to be dumb!